Automatic fire-shutter.



E. H. MCCLOUD.

AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER. APPLICATION FILED 00T.a0,1912.

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HD1/VARIO H. MCCLOD, GF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

Application filed October 30, 1912..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, EDWARD H. MCCLOUD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio,haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire-Shutters, of which the following is a specication.

IThis invention relates more particularly to that class of fire shuttersthat are nornially operable for raising and lowering and have means forreleasing them in case of imminent fire.

lThe object of the invention is to provide improved means of the kindstated, and the invention is embodied in the example herein shown anddescribed, the features of novelty being pointed out in the claims.

1n the accompanying drawings forming part hereof-Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view taken longitudinally of the barrel, some parts beingshown in full lines, and some portions broken out. Fig. 2 is a view inelevation of the right hand end of the structure as shown in F 1, thereleasing devices being exhibited at that end and as in normal or setposition. Fig. 3 is an end elevation like Fig. 2 except that theoutermost wheel is removed and some parts are broken out to show detailsin full. Fig. et is a view similar to Fig. 3 except that the pawlcarrying member is not broken out and to show the action of the shutterclosing devices when released. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. etshowing the position of the parts upon release. Fig. 6 is a rearelevation of the releasing devices.

1n the views 7 and 8 designate suitable end brackets.

9 designates the barrel and 10 a fraction of the shutter attachedthereto. The barrel is provided with a plug in its left hand end and issupported at that end by means of the shaft member 11 `journaled in thebracket 7,1said shaft passing through the plug and having an encirclingspring 15 connected with it by means of a collar 12 and to the barrelfor balancing the shutter for normal raising and lowering. The other orright hand end of the barrel is provided with a plug 17 having anintegral extension 17a beyond the barrel that projects through anopening in the bracket 8, said opening being shown as provided withroller bearings 8a to reduce friction. The plug 17 is bored axially toreceive a short Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24:, 1914.

serial No. 728,567.

tubular shaft 18 and the shaft member 11 extends through said tubularshaft 18. Encircling the shaft member 11 between the collar 12 and thetubular shaft 18 is a coil spring 21, said spring being attached at itsends to the said collar 12 and the tubular shaft 18 respectively. Thespring 21 is designed to be wound to actcounter to the stress or torqueof the spring 15 and at the proper time act on the barrel to uncoil theshutter. The outer orextreme right hand end of the shaft 11 has securedto it a wheel 13 having several perforated ears 13a, any of whichreceives a winch bar for turning it to impart theA proper balancingtension to the spring 15. has been obtained in said spring said wheel 13can be secured by means of a pin 13b passed through a hole in the fixedpart 8b on the bracket S and one of the ears 13a. Likewise the outer endof the tubular shaft 18 has secured to it a wheel or disk 14 hav ingseveral perforated ears 14 any of which receives a winch bar for turningit to impart to the spring 21 the tension necessary to overcome thebalancing tension. of the spring 15 and uncoil the shutter upon theoperation hereinafter further explained.

The outer end of the plug extension 17a is lnade as a ratchet wheelPivoted on the inner side of the disk 14 `is a pawl 27 having attachedto it a coil spring 28 secured to the disk and adapted to draw the toeor beak of the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel 25 when thepawl is released as hereinafter explained. T he pawl 27 is provided witha toothed sector extension 27d that is engaged by a similarly toothedsector 241C having a toe member 2li-a.

30 designates a lever fulcrumed on a pin 31 on the outer face of thebracket 8. The said lever 30 is provided with an inverted `vshapedprojection 32 to engage, when the lever is properly raised, the toemember 24a and hold the pawl 27' disengaged from the ratchet wheel 25,as best depicted in Fig. 3. r1`he said lever 30 is also provided with alateral pin 26 positioned to engage a projection leb on the rim of thedisk le when the lever israised and holding the pawl 27 as justdescribed. When the spring 21 is placed under tension, as beforedescribed, the engagement of the projection 14h with the pin 26.prevents the operation of said spring and the automatic unwinding of theshutter thereby.

l/Vhen .the proper tension The means for holding up the lever 30 asshown in Figs. 2 and 3 can be and preferably are thermally controlledand consists of a lever 33 pivoted on an extension 33a from the bracketS and having a long Weighted arm `33h and a sectional Wire 3a extendingupward therefrom containing one or more fusible connections 35, saidwire being fastened at its upper end to the short arm of a Weightedlever 36 that in turn is fulcrumed to a suitable fined point 37 on thebuilding.

`38 is a dog piyoted on a pin 39 extending from the bracket 8. 'll-hisdog lies in the path of motion, of the toe 2l which can pass lthe dogwhen 'the shutter is unwinding but is obstructed by the dog when theshutter is Wound up after the release of the disk.

illssuming that the parts have been set as indicated in Figs. .l and 2,the operation is briefly this: bien the lever is released by the meltingof one of the fusible connections 35 the pawl is thrown into engagementWith the ratchet by the spring thereby effecting a connection of thespring :2l through the short shaft 18 With the barrel. The release ofthe pin '2G liberates the disk thereby permitting the spring to act onthe barrel to uncoil the shutter and close the opening for which isinstalled. The tension of the spring 2l -which is unexpended in theclosing operation can be automatically released by raising the shutterslightly or until the toe 21.@ abuts against the dog 3S thereby freeingthe `paWl from the ratchet and leaving the curtain normally balanced bythe spring.

l. in a fire shutter, in combination, a barrel and a shutter thereon, atension member for balancing the shutter for normal operation, a tensionmember for impelling the shutter to opening closing position, a ratchetconnected with the barrel and a pawl connected with said last namedtension member,

means for holding said tension member from action on the shutterreceiving member and said pawl disengaged from said ratchet, means tocause the paWl to engage the ratchet in the uncoiling of the shutter,and means for automatically actuating the paWl to release the same uponthe recoiling of the shutter.

2. In a lire shutter, in combination, a barrel and a shutter to coilthereon, a shaft eX- tending ytlni'ough the barrel, a shutter balancingspring controlled by said shaft, a tubular shaft through which lsaidfirst named shaft extends, a. shutter closing spring controlled by saidtubular shaft, a ratchet on the barrel, a pawl connected with thetubular shaft, restraining means for said tubular shaft, restrainingmeans for the pand, said two restraining means adapted to be released topermit the engagement of said paWl with said ratchet `and the action ofsaid spring upon said barrel to cause the uncoiling of the shutter.

3. In a fire shutter, in combination, a barrel and a shutter to coilthereon, a shaft, a shutter balancing spring controlled by said shaft, avsecond shaft, a shutter-closing spring controlled by said last namedshaft, a ratchet on the barrel, a pawl connected with the last namedshaft and actuating means therefor, restraining means for said lastnamed shaft, restraining means for the actuating means of the paWl, saidtwo restraining mean@- adapted to be released to permit the engagementof said pawl With said ratchet and the action of said spring upon saidbarrel to cause the uneoiling of the shutter, and means for actuatingthe paWl actuating means to release the pawl upon recoiling the shutter.

EDVARD H. MCCLOUD. iVitnesses ALBERT Rnsn, ANNA Tnnnsa KING.

`(lolitas of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by:addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 1D. C."

